June is a fantastic month for flowers. Everywhere you look —from sunny meadows to shady nooks— something seems to be blooming. At this time of year, many gardeners spend their weekend hours strolling through nursery rows, choosing blooming plants based upon their flower color. This is a tried and true method for selecting optimal bloom-time combinations, however, because most gardeners shop exclusively in spring and early summer, many gardens look great in June, but then fizzle out by early July. I like to encourage my clients to look beyond the beauty of May-June flowers; planning monthly, inspirational visits to nurseries and botanical gardens, straight through October. Keep in mind that as beautiful as they are in bloom, the majority of trees and shrubs in a well-designed garden should offer more than a brief, 1-2 week flowering period. When I plan gardens for my clients, I look for trees, shrubs and perennial plants with beauty-beyond-bloom; offering form, foliage (especially those with dramatic fall foliage), and structure, as well as gorgeous flowers.

I love the way Red Bells Enkianthus (Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Red Bells’) catch raindrops and blend beautifully with the blue and violet springtime hues in gardens

Take Red Bells Enkianthus (Enkianthus campanulatas ‘Red Bells’), for example. Native to Japan, the beautiful, red-pink blossoms of this lovely shrub —opening in late May here in Vermont— attract pollinators —such as hummingbirds, butterflies and bees— and the tiny bell shaped flowers last well into the middle of June. Even after the flowers fade, Red Bells Enkianthus’ shiny, green leaves and its pleasing form offer a verdant backdrop for flowering perennials and foliage plants throughout the growing year. But the real bonus comes in autumn, when the leaves turn brilliant color; with hues ranging from red-orange to sizzling scarlet. Frosted with ice and fresh snow, the delicate twigs even look lovely in early winter.

Hardy in USDA zones 4a-7b, Red Bells Enkianthus is a medium-sized garden shrub; with a mature size of 6-8′ high and 4-6′ wide. This ericaceous plant prefers moist, woodsy, acidic soil and partially shady to mostly sunny locations. Great in combination with spring-flowering perennials and bulbs —particularly in blue-violet and clear yellow colors— I also like to position Red Bells Enkianthus near indigo, purple and blue fall bloomers and shrubs or perennial plants with maroon, burgundy or gold hued fall foliage. Used as a knock-out, solitary specimen or clustered in a group for an informal hedge, Enkianthus’ three-season beauty can bring bold color to a shady garden and lend a cooling hand to a sunny spot. It’s a great choice for extending beauty-beyond-bloom in your garden design.

Photography & Text ⓒ Michaela Medina Harlow/The Gardener’s Eden. All images, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions), are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Please do not take my photographs without asking first. Thank you!

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Although my garden contains a wide variety of plants from many different parts of the world, come springtime, native plants usually steal the spotlight. The earliest blooming shrubs and trees, as well as many of the flowering ground covers and springtime ephemerals, are North Americans. I believe that it’s important to create gardens in the spirit of place. This point of view is particularly relevant when gardening in rural locations; where the use of native plants not only helps to establish design context, but also helps to protect the native habitat by avoiding the inclusion of aggressive foreign, and potentially invasive species. When it comes to designing gardens, I think it’s lovely to go a little wild . . .

With so many gorgeous, North American plants to choose from, it’s possible to create a dynamic, four season design without using any foreign plants at all. However, a gardener needn’t be a purist to both protect and enjoy native plants and wild habitat. I like to combine both native and non-native (but of course non-invasive and non-aggressive), species in my garden designs. Pictured in this post are three of my favorite, early spring bloomers; all garden-worthy, North American natives: Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) and Labrador Violet(Viola labradorica). I’ve profiled the lovely, Labrador Violet, as well as the season-spanning Spicebush, our beautiful, North American Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), and other, native, spring-bloomers before. Click back to my previous post on ephemeral, woodland wildflowers (here), for more wild favorites and some great resources for planning a native garden of your own . . .

Photography & Text ⓒ Michaela Medina Harlow/The Gardener’s Eden. All images, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions), are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Please do not take my photographs without asking first. Thank you!

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It’s been a raw and chilly April in Vermont, and yet springtime songbirds, undaunted by the lingering chill, have flocked to my garden in search of sustenance. Some species are merely passing through, but others will settle and set up summer residence. This month’s standout is the Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus, pictured above), with plum-stained plumage and a sweet, rich, warbling song. An occasional winter-guest at my bird feeders, the Purple Finch may be scouting for nesting territory (learn more about this beautiful native species at Cornell Lab of Ornithology, here). I am grateful for the brilliant-colored beauty and musical backdrop provided by my winged, garden guests and the delicate buds and blossoms, decorating my hilltop.

With cold, grey days and bare branches on trees, I find my eyes drawn to even the slightest hint of color. Blossoming maple —ruddy tipped twigs glowing against low clouds— stain the hilltops a subtle shade of raspberry. With cooler-than-usual temperatures, native Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) and shrubs like Vernal Witch-Hazel (Hamamelis vernalis), have extended their early-spring show. I love how the early-season buds and blooms catch light; like drops of berry-colored jam and sweet, golden honey in the sun . . .

Photography & Text ⓒ Michaela Medina Harlow/The Gardener’s Eden. All images, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions), are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Please do not take my photographs without asking first. Thank you!

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The Black Dragon has returned to my garden, and this year he was generous, holding many splendid flowers. I have but a few tree peonies in my garden, and I hope to continue adding to the collection. The tree peonies bloom a couple of weeks earlier than the herbaceous peonies in my garden, and the Black Dragon is always the first to arrive.

Saturated with morning dew, the heavy, delicious fragrance of this peony fills the air with a rose-like scent. Peony blossoms are one of this gardener’s greatest pleasures. But the tree peony season is short; each flower to be savored for a few precious days. And with rain in tonight’s forecast, the petals will soon scatter to the ground. I wonder… Will the Black Dragon mind if I snip just a few of his splendid flowers, to place atop my desk?

Photographs and Text ⓒ Michaela Medina/The Gardener’s Eden. All photos, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions) are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Thank you!

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While tip toeing through the raindrops this morning, I happened to spot the gorgeous, lavender blossoms of Glaucidium palmatum opening in my Secret Garden today. I’ve written about the Japanese Wood Poppy before in a perennial profile —“Lovely, Lavender Lady of the Shadows”— and it has also been featured prominently in the photograph below; blooming beside the Secret Garden water bowl. In life, some small things are worth savoring. To me, the opening of this glorious flower is a fleeting moment, worthy of lengthy pause…

Japanese Wood Poppy Blossoms in a Gentle Shade of Lavender in Late May. Throughout the Summer and Into Autumn, the Lovely Leaves Combine Beautifully with Other Shade Plants, and Make a Perfect Accent to the Nearby Water Bowl and Mossy Walls in My Secret Garden.

Over the Years, Glaucidium palmatum has Become One of My Favorite Perennials for Dappled Shade

Photographs and Text ⓒ Michaela Medina/The Gardener’s Eden. All photos, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions) are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Thank you!

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Happy May Day! Here in Vermont, we begin the new month with a day of much-needed rain.

May is a busy month for gardeners. Thirty one days of planning, prepping, planting, weeding and harvesting early crops. Luckily, longer days make all of our harried, summer-time preparations possible. Temperatures in the northeast can still be quite chilly at this time of year and I always check the forecast on clear nights and protect tender plants when the mercury drops.

Still, as we steadily wind our way toward summer, the May nights grow warmer and sweeter. We shed our layers, kick off shoes and wiggle our bare toes in newly-mown grass. It’s May Day at last, and the gardener celebrates; dancing to the percussive beat of raindrops and the symphony of birds in springtime song…

Creamy-White Witch Alder Blossoms (Fothergilla major ‘Mt. Airy’) and Golden Spicebush Buds (Lindera benzoin) Add Scent to the Damp, Thick Air. (Click here, and also here, to read more about season-spanning beauty of North American native Witch Alder, and click here to read more about North American native Spicebush)

And at the Secret Garden Door, a Water Bowl Catches Raindrops as They Bounce from the Mossy Rock

Photographs and Text ⓒ Michaela Medina/The Gardener’s Eden. All photos, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions) are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Thank you!

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Swollen Buds of Viburnum x burkwoodii ‘Mohawk’ in Silhouette Against the Sublime Beauty of Spring Twilight

The melancholy song of the hermit thrush —rising and falling; a flute amongst the hemlock boughs of moody twilight— is a sound I eagerly anticipate each spring. As soon as winter’s ice begins to recede and the scent of warm earth bubbles up from melting snow, I begin to long for the thrush’s familiar trill in the forest.

If you know the sweet sadness expressed by this shy, cinnamon-colored bird, you will likely agree that it’s near impossible to describe. And yet, to me, the song of the hermit thrush captures the fleeting beauty of time better than words could ever express. Summer is coming, and every year the seasons seem to pass quicker; racing forward like a fast moving stream, strewn with springtime petals and chased by musky autumn leaves.

Photographs and Text ⓒ Michaela Medina for The Gardener’s Eden. All photos, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions) are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Thank you!

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Seduced by the sweet scent of springtime and early morning’s soft light, chores in the Secret Garden —raking, weeding, edging and mulching— hardly resemble work at all. After filling the water bowl beside Dan Snow’s moss-kissed walls, I stand back to drink in the fragrance of bodnant viburnum, perfuming the cool spring air …

Narcissus ‘Rijnveld’s Early Sensation’ Glows in Morning Light, Filling the Air with the Incomparable, Fresh Scent of Spring

Photographs and Text ⓒ Michaela Medina/The Gardener’s Eden. All photos, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions) are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Thank you!

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More often than not, the first day of spring arrives with a bit of blustery snow, sleet or freezing rain here in Vermont. But if there’s one thing no New Englander can ever predict, it’s the weather. With sunny days and balmy temperatures reaching up to the seventies, this year, the Vernal Equinox seems a mere formality. Spring arrived weeks ago, and she’s really strutting her stuff. Should I trust this notoriously coquettish season? Is she here to stay or just to flirt? Only time will tell, but for now, I will stretch out like a satisfied cat on the sun-warmed terrace and enjoy the sweet seduction …

Narcissus ‘Rijnveld’s Early Sensation’ Just Beginning to Unfold Along the Walkway

A Chilly, Naked Frog Warms Itself in the Sun, After Emerging From Cold Leaves and Mud

Photographs and Text ⓒ Michaela Medina for The Gardener’s Eden. All photos, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions) are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Thank you!

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Although the Ice and Snow are Beautiful, Winter Damage Must be Cleaned Up Every Year & Now is the Best Time to Tackle Major Structural Tasks (Above: Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’) …

Although the old “prune in June” rule applies to certain woody plants in some situations —-those that blossom in early spring, such as lilacs (click here for how/when to prune lilacs) or the removal of suckers from the base of tree trunks, for example— and of course broken branches can and should always be removed whenever they are noticed, major structural pruning of deciduous trees and shrubs is best tackled during winter dormancy. I love winter pruning tasks, and find that warm, sunny days in late February, March and even early April (depending upon your climate, of course) are perfect for shaking off cabin fever and getting back in the garden! But, before you start cutting, take the time to clean and sharpen your tools, and take a long walk around the garden; examining the skeletal form of your plants while keeping an eye out for winter damage caused by heavy snow-loads, ice and wind. See any cracked branches or snapped limbs on your ornamental trees and shrubs? Any damaged trees or large shrubs located near power lines should be dealt with by a professional landscape contractor or arborist. But small pruning tasks —especially those within easy reach— can be handled by most gardeners at this time of the year.

Red Twig Dogwood Adds a Beautiful Glow to the Winter Landscape. I Thin 1/3 of the Stems Each Year —Cutting Each Shoot All the Way Back to the Ground— in Late Winter or Early Spring to Encourage New Growth with the Beautiful Bright-Red Bark! (Of course, always wait ’til the ice melts before pruning branches and limbs).

Photographs and Text ⓒ Michaela Medina/The Gardener’s Eden. All photos, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions) are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Thank you!

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Sunrise moments after an ice storm are always beautiful here on my Vermont hilltop. But the subtle drama of the storm itself —freezing rain, fog and mist— are equally compelling; pulling me like a siren song from the cozy warmth of my studio. And although it took an effort to walk through the garden pathways in such slippery conditions, the surprises I found round each and every corner made the chilly, wet excursion more than worthwhile …

Yesterday Afternoon at Twilight: The same Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’) with a Very Different Look

Photographs and Text ⓒ Michaela Medina/The Gardener’s Eden. All photos, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions) are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Thank you!

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Winter has arrived —swirling snowflakes and glazed pools all around— and yet the earth remains open in much of New England. Patches of snow dot my Vermont hillside, but elsewhere —in fields and forested areas nearby— the ground has yet to freeze and there’s nary a trace of white stuff. Woodland walks through leaf-stewn paths reveal glowing green moss and shining, emerald-colored Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides).

With long shadows stretching out in winter light, this week of mild weather has provided a perfect opportunity to explore the quiet of nature. And what delights have I found? Along the woodland pathways of someone else’s forest, I discovered tiny surprises crafted from sticks, stones and seed pods. Inspired by the magic of this mystery forest, I found myself falling in love all over again with the simple, artistic power of sticks and stones …

More artistic inspiration —and beautiful, master works in stick and stone— may be found in these long-time, favorite books …

Photographs and Text ⓒ Michaela Medina/The Gardener’s Eden. All photos, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions) are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Thank you!

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A Forest of Warm-Colored Beech Leaves in Snow Reminds Me a Bit of Melted Butterscotch on a Dish of Vanilla Ice Cream …

Looking out my window this morning at first light —snowdrifts sculpting a strange landscape, still dotted with red and gold trees— I find it hard to believe this is November. If you follow this journal from afar and missed news of our snowstorm —I know some of you are reading this on the other side of the globe— a historic, Halloween nor’easter delivered a shocking amount of snow to the east coast on October 29th/30th. I’ve noticed that official snowfall amounts vary, but most of the hill towns in my immediate area —on the Vermont/Massachusetts border— are reporting between twenty inches and two feet. I can’t be counted on for an accurate measure of accumulation, as I spent a sleepless night out in the garden, gently shaking snow from fully leafed trees.

Thankfully, with much round-the-clock effort, I managed to save the four, most-threatened ornamental trees in my garden. What crumpled shrubs I will find beneath the three-foot snowdrifts as temperatures rise, remains to be seen. I dare not think of it. And although I can not deny that Mother Nature has been dealing us a tough hand lately, it is my philosophy to work with her; accepting and looking for beauty in whatever she delivers. This year it seems we will begin the winter season early, with a bittersweet November, and a preview of what is yet to come …

Looking Down the Driveway —October 30th, Mid-Day— After the Storm: Native Oak & Beech Trees Still Holding a Canopy of Bittersweet Leaves

Photographs and Text ⓒ Michaela Medina/The Gardener’s Eden. All photos, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions) are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Thank you!

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Snow Softly Covers Cinderella’s Pumpkin as She Readies for the Icicle Ball …

And the Dahlias Bow as They Take Their Last Dance

Photographs and Text ⓒ Michaela Medina/The Gardener’s Eden. All photographs, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions) are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Thank you!

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Though it Often Spreads Aggressively, North American Native, Hay Scented Fern (Densntaedtia punctilobula) is a Gorgeous and Durable Ground Cover for Tough, Shady Spaces. Taking My Cue from Mother Nature, I Like to Position this Autumnal Favorite Where it will Catch the Long, Low Light

For Intense, Late-Autumn Foliage Color, One of My Favorite Woody Plants is North American native Fothergilla (Here: Fothergilla major ‘Mt Airy’). The “Witches” —As I Often Refer to Members of the Hamamelidaceae family— in My Garden Include Fothergilla, Hamamelis, Parrotia, and a Few, Lesser-Known Apprentices. Due to Her Chameleon-Like Costume Drama, Fothergilla Plays Well with Physocarpus, Cotinus, Ornamental Grass, Conifers, and Most Other Autumn Beauties. Read More About these Spellbinders in my Past Post, “Must Be the Season of the Witch”.

Late October. Cold winds are kicking up now, lifting leaves high into topaz skies where they twirl about as if riding on a Ferris Wheel. And on rainy days —when the air is damp and still— moody fog swirls about the high walls and along the pathways, softening the hard edges of stone and the skeletal remains of flowers. The second half of autumn can be a dramatic time for late season garden color; with Witch Hazel, Smokebush, Dogwood and Japanese Maple foliage coloring up in fine, fiery hues. The sensual ornamental grasses and colorful Viburnum — so many shrubs, loaded with plump, brilliant fruit— continue to perform beautifully, while the Beautyberry, Cotoneaster and Winterberry are just beginning to put on their seasonal show. Here’s a quick tour of what’s going on in my garden, with notes on some favorite ways to use valuable, late-season plants; making the most of their theatrical talents …

Japanese Maple Leaves (Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’) Offer Stunning Autumn Color and Sculptural Form Throughout the Seasons. Many Japanese Maple Trees are Smaller in Stature (A Number Reach 15′ or Less at Maturity), and Most Prefer a bit of Shade, Making them a Perfect Choice for Shadowy Urban Courtyards and Gardens with Limited Space

Reliable as the Change of Season Itself, The Blue-Green Dragon (Acer palmatum x dissectum ‘Seiryu’) Always Hits It Out of the Park. This Small Tree (approximately 14′ high at maturity) is a Rare, Upright, Cut-Leaf Form of Japanese Maple. Beautiful When Backlit and Combined with Autumn Golds, the Color of This Specimen Shifts from the Color of Ocean Waves to Fire to Smoldering Embers

Some Trees are Natural Show-Offs in Autumn Sunlight, and for Spectacular, Stained-Glass-Like Fall Foliage, it’s Hard to Compete with Japanese Maples (Dancing in the Sunlight Here: Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’). For Best Effect, Position Japanese Maples and Similar Trees in Places Where the Foliage will Filter the Rays of Light in Morning and Late Afternoon

Ever-Beautiful, North American native Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum) is Particularly Stunning When Positioned to Capture Light. When I Work Delicate Grasses Like This One into a Garden Desing, I Like to Place Them Where They Can be Seen, Touched and Enjoyed Throughout the Autumn and Early Winter. This Mature Specimen. Located at the Edge of a Pathway Junction in My Garden, Captures Light at Sunrise and Again at Sunset (The Textural, Dried Flower at the Bottom of the Photo is Solidago)

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ Changes Hue from Pale Ivory with a Hint of Lime to Rose-Kissed Ivory to Rust. To Make the Most of Her Color Changes, I’ve Positioned Her Beside the Dark Foliage of Fagus sylvatica ‘Riversii’, and Surrounded Her Feet with Colorful Ground Covers (Hakonechloa macra ‘Beni Kaze’ and Pulmonaria ‘Raspberry Splash’). I Love the Relaxed Mood Created When Blossoms Spill Upon an Autumn Walkway

Surrounded by the Confetti Hued Leaves of the Burkwood Viburnum (V. x burkwoodii ‘Anne Russell), Doctor Woo Looks Like Part of a Seasonal Display as She Surveys Her Vole Hunting Domain (Also in this frame: Frost-Kissed, Yellow Hosta Leaves, Rudbeckia & Adenophora Seed Pods and North American native Hydrangea quercifolia in Back of the Border)

The Border Pictured Above Contains Two North American Native Favorites,:Oakleaf Hydrangea and Arkansas Blue Star (Hydrangea quercifolia with Amsonia hubrichtii); Work Together to Create Drama with Their Contrasting, Autumn Foliage Colors and Textures

Hinting at Large-Scale, Design Possibilities, the Scarlet and Chartreuse Patterns on This Japanese Maple Leaf (A. palmatum x dissectum ‘Seiryu’) Command Attention in the Shadows, Especially on a Drizzly Day!

Photographs and Text ⓒ Michaela Medina/The Gardener’s Eden. All photographs, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions) are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Thank you!

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Indian Summer —that deliciously warm, golden season between the first, light frost and the killing freeze— is like a sweet dessert after a perfect meal. Oh how I delight in these last, precious weeks of mild weather. Usually, I host an open studio and garden tour in autumn, but this year —with a washed out bridge that will remain closed until next year and a network of back roads badly damaged by tropical storm Irene— my house and garden are strangely quiet. Some days —when torrential rain pours down my patched up driveway in a river— I barely make it home myself. Still, I so enjoy the sensual beauty of October —with all her musky fragrance, shimmering, low light and brilliant color— that it feels unfair to hoard it to myself. So a short, misty-morning tour of some of this week’s highlights in a garden just warming up for a grand and colorful season finale …

My Favorite Autumn Hydrangea, H. paniculata ‘Limelight’, Is Putting on a Sensational Display This Year. In the Background You Can Catch Just a Glimpse of the Heath & Heather Ledges with a Sea Green Juniper at the Crest …

In Spite of Last Week’s Battering Winds, the Paper Bark Maple (Acer griseum) at the Entry Garden Edge is Still Putting On a Good Show. Soon, the Leaves will Blaze a Glorious Scarlet

In the Entry Garden, Amsonia illustris Glows in a Mound of Lemon-Lime. At this Time of the Year, a Shot of Citrus is Always a Warm Welcome at the Edge of the Drive (Beyond: Symphotrichum oblongifolium ‘Raydon’s Favorite’, Rudbeckia hirta, Lysmachia clethroides, Fothergilla ‘Mt Airy’, Amsonia hubrichtii, and Miscanthus sinensis ‘Purpurascens’ against a backdrop of Juniperus x pfitzeriana ‘Sea Green’)

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Purpurascens’ & ‘Variegatus’ are Really Putting on a Stellar Show Together this Season

Decked Out in a Sparkling, Tasseled Golden Gown that Would Turn Fappers Green with Envy, Seems This ‘Heavy Metal’ Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum) Is Adding Few Finishing Touches for the Fall Party (that dark and mysterious hedge in the background is a mass planting of Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diablo’, with a lacy slip of ferns peeking out at the bottom)

This Younger Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’ is Already Painting Her New Space in Bold Shades of Gold, Orange and Red (Planted here along a slope of Juniperus x pfitzeriana ‘Sea Green’ and a carpet of Juniperus chinensis ‘Sargentii’)

Hanging On to Indian Summer: My Hammock Still Swings Between Maple Trees, Surrounded by Bronzed Ferns

Photographs and Text ⓒ Michaela Medina/The Gardener’s Eden. All photographs, articles and content on this site, (with noted exceptions), are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Thank you!

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Most people don’t get excited about dark, dreary days. After all, it’s hard to jump up and down when you’re weighed down by rain gear and heavy galoshes. And this year, rain has a pretty bad rap: New England has had more than its fair share, and many states were devastated by flooding. Still, I have to admit that I actually like the rain, and I always enjoy a bit of autumn gloom. There’s just something about rain and drizzle that makes colorful foliage sing in the grey, mist-softened landscape. Oh how I love a foggy fall day.

Of course, lovely as the yellow leaves can be, when it comes to autumn in Vermont, most people tend to think of orange and red foliage. And although leaf peepers may admire the brilliant show as they whiz past her fiery foliage on the highway, few can name the beauty in the technicolor dreamccoat: Rhus typhina. I adore sumac and grow a variety of species and cultivars in my garden (read my post on the oft-avoided and widely misunderstood Rhus family by clicking here) including the lovely, chartreuse-leaved R. typhina ‘Tiger Eyes’. But lucky me, Staghorn Sumac grows naturally at the edge of my woodland boundary. All that I need do in order to maintain this beautifully soft border is to thin unwanted cherry or black birch saplings when they pop up in and around the sumac stands. I like to play the brilliant hues of Staghorn Sumac against a backdrop of sparkling gold paper birch (Betula papyrifera) or —for extra drama— the deep maroon of Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diablo’ (click here to read about this dark and dramatic shrub). Wow, just look at these beauties together …

Photographs and Text ⓒ Michaela Medina/The Gardener’s Eden. All photographs, articles and content on this site, (with noted exceptions), are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Thank you!

Do you enjoy The Gardener’s Eden? You can help support this site by shopping through affiliate links. A small percentage of each sale will be paid to this site, helping to cover web hosting and maintenance costs. Thank you so much for your support!

Photographs and Text ⓒ Michaela Medina/The Gardener’s Eden. All photos, articles and content on this site (with noted exceptions) are the original, copyrighted property of The Gardener’s Eden and may not be reposted, reproduced or used in any way without prior written consent. Contact information is in the left side bar. Thank you!

Do you enjoy The Gardener’s Eden? You can help support this site by shopping through affiliate links (including Amazon book links). A small percentage of each sale will be paid to this site, helping to cover web hosting and maintenance costs. Thank you so much for your support!